Consumer Protection has noticed an increase in the number of scammers posing as WA police officers in an attempt to con money out of unsuspecting Western Australians.

The scammers are phoning people’s homes, pretending to be police officers and telling a variety of lies to try to trick the householders into parting with their money.

The scammers masquerading as police claim they have recovered stolen property or money belonging to the people they are phoning which cannot be returned unless the householder’s identity is proved and fees and taxes are paid.

Commissioner for Consumer Protection Anne Driscoll said the fraudulent activity is particularly concerning.

“Any requests for money over the phone by a person you do not know should raise a red flag,” she said.

“A Western Australian police officer will never ask for money over the phone and I urge people to report any such phone calls to WA Police and Consumer Protection.

“If a caller claims to be a Western Australian police officer, ask for their name, rank and work location as these details can be checked with police to make sure the caller is genuine.”

If you need further advice or assistance you can contact the Consumer Protection Advice Line on 1300 30 40 54

You can also view this alert online at WA ScamNet.